Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/504216
6 / the tasting panel / may 2015 UP UpFront with Reilly's Whiskey For any whiskey, the spirit of the brand is just as important as the spirit in the bottle—a group of whiskey lovers with wine and spirits backgrounds understood this idea and sought out to make a high-quality whiskey with character and a sense of humor. Launched in October 2014, Reilly's Whiskey embraces the real-life story of an Irish immigrant who smuggled whiskey in milk bottles during Prohibition, but the clandestine team behind the brand decided to put a very edgy, amusing spin on it. From the story behind his eye patch —"On the first day of his life, he lost an eye, took a man's life and developed an insatiable appetite for whiskey"—to his favorite quotes—"Drink up, you're half the man my mother was" and "Don't cry over spilt milk, it could have been whiskey"—that show up on point-of-sales materials, glassware and the cases themselves, Reilly is a rebel rouser through and through. With a larger-than-life personality for the brand, the liquid under the barrel screwcap doesn't just shy away either—it stands up on its own merits. Acting as a consultant to the portfolio, Master Distiller David Pickerell and Bryon Schreckengost, Reilly's VP for Sales & Marketing, sought to by Emily Coleman PHOTO: DUSTIN DOWNING